


Footprints in the Sand

by books2thesky



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Early Work, Gen, Inspired by Poetry, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-09-15
Updated: 2003-09-15
Packaged: 2017-12-04 21:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/715037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/books2thesky/pseuds/books2thesky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of days, Maglor meets Someone very unexpected, and his wandering finally comes to an end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Footprints in the Sand

A lone figure stood on the deserted seashore, gazing out across the waters at the faint glow of fire in the distance. If one of the few remaining Men had stood in the same place, he would have seen nothing. But this figure was no Man...he was Maglor son of Feänor, the last of the Noldor in Middle-Earth, and he was looking down the Straight Road at Valinor.

Maglor smiled bitterly at the irony of the situation, his ancient guilt stirring within him. Long ago, he had stood on a seacoast much like this one...but it had been Fingolfin's host, abandoned on the western shore, who had watched the glow of distant flames across the sea, lit by the kinsmen who had gone where they could not follow. Now Fingolfin's people had come and were gone, along with Maglor's own kin, and only he was left...watching the battle of those who had gone where he could not follow. Now it was Valinor burning.

As Maglor stood alone on the beach, a strong wind suddenly began to blow across the bare expanse of sand. It swirled around him and whipped his clothes back and forth. As it rushed past his ears, he could swear that he heard the echo of a voice in it, calling his name.

_'Maglor...Maglor...'_

Maglor turned, looking around quickly. He could see no one besides himself around for miles.

"Who are you?" he called to the empty shore. "How do you know my name?"

As suddenly as the wind had started, it stopped again. The air was still and quiet. Maglor's eyes narrowed and he crouched down, ready for a fight. Had Morgoth's servants reached the eastern shores? Had they broken Valinor's defense?

A great Presence suddenly blossomed over Maglor, like the sun bursting out from behind the clouds. Maglor gasped and dropped to his knees on the sand in fear and awe. This was no servant of Morgoth. The Presence was like the Presences of the Valar that he remembered from so long ago—but even they dimmed in comparison like a firefly in the sunlight. This could only be Eru Ilúvatar, the Allfather.

A great voice addressed the frightened elf, a voice that was full of warmth and affection and unimaginable power.

"Arise, Maglor son of Feänor," said Ilúvatar, "and take your place among my Children."

For a moment, Maglor was silent, his eyes growing hot with unshed tears of shame.

"I cannot, my lord," he replied finally, keeping his face downturned, "for I have none. I am an outcast, a Kinslayer—forsaken by all, and rightly so."

"Not by all, my child," said Ilúvatar. "I have never forsaken you, and never will."

Maglor's head shot up in surprise, and he stared up at the empty grey sky above him with eyes wide in astonishment.

"I have seen your sins and your repentance," continued Ilúvatar. "I saw your brother ask you in his desperation and despair how your prayers would reach me, and now I give you an answer: you need not even speak them, but I will know, for I am always with you, and with all others."

Maglor continued to stare into the sky, speechless with wonder at the forgiveness offered him. He had never hoped for such a thing, not after all he had done, all the blood he had spilled...

But...

A small, treacherous voice spoke up inside him. It was the part of him that had grown bitter in the long years of sorrow and hardship and wandering.

Maglor dropped his eyes to the sand, struggling to hold back the ungrateful, petulant words. He knew that he had deserved his solitary punishment, which was partly self-imposed. But he was unable to contain the bitter words, and they burst out at last.

"You say you have never abandoned me, that you were always with me. How can that be? For countless years I have been utterly alone. I have wandered endless shores. And when I looked back, I saw nothing but my footprints, going back forever! Always only one set of footprints, always alone!"

Warmth rippled through Ilúvatar's Presence, and Maglor felt the sense of a fond, loving smile.

"That, my child," said Ilúvatar, "is because I was carrying you."

**Author's Note:**

> Reposted from ff.n on 03/10/2013.
> 
> Inspired by the popular Christian poem _Footprints_ (version by Mary Stevenson), copy-pasted here for reference because the [official webpage's](http://www.footprints-inthe-sand.com/index.php?page=Poem/Poem.php) formatting is eye-searing:
> 
> One night I dreamed I was walking  
> Along the beach with the Lord.  
> Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.  
> In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.  
> Sometimes there were two sets of footprints.  
> Other times there were one set of footprints. 
> 
> This bothered me because I noticed that  
> During the low periods of my life when I was  
> Suffering from anguish, sorrow, or defeat,  
> I could see only one set of footprints, 
> 
> So I said to the Lord, "You promised me,  
> Lord, that if I followed You,  
> You would walk with me always.  
> But I noticed that during the most trying periods  
> Of my life there have only been  
> One set of prints in the sand.  
> Why, When I have needed You most,  
> You have not been there for me?"
> 
> The Lord replied,  
> "The times when you have seen only one set of footprints  
> Is when I carried you."


End file.
